Ecological Service Livestock Network – Past Events
Friday September 23, 2022
Virtual Fences: Livestock Containment with No Physical Fences
The Munch Bunch hosted a field tour to learn about this exciting new technology at the Elleholm Farm, Center City, MN 55012
Summary: NoFence Munch Bunch summary vKH
Flyer Munch Bunch ESLN 9 23 22 or click on image:
June 29, 2022
Diversity Landworks at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis
Summary – click on image:
Event Flyer
Minnesota Native Landscapes
Planned grazing for ecological restoration, economical land management
2/2/22 (!) Flyer
Lomax MNL Presentation
Agrivoltaics: Solar Energy on Dairy Farms
Jan. 28th, 2022 – 11 AM
ESLN Hosts Cannon Valley Graziers
December 6th 2021
Event Flyer
Session video recording with transcript and chat: ESLN Hosts Cannon Valley Graziers
https://www.youtube.com/embed/-TNInSaQ3ZI
Silvopasture Camp and Tour
Monday, September 16 – Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Silvopasture restoration yielding benefits on the Jane Jewett Farm.
“Campers” all smiles, excited about the potential of Silvopasture!
Kent Solberg, SFA, demonstrates Best Fencing options. Photos K. Hakanson
The basics of silvopasture establishment, operations and how you can make use of silvopasture as part of your rotational grazing plan were the focus of this two day workshop. Participants learned how to improve and enhance production of wooded pasture or your marginal crop or pasture land while achieving environmental integrity.
This workshop was scheduled for two days. The workshop will bean with an evening presentations of two silvopasture case studies where participants applied the principles and concepts of silvopasture. Part of the afternoon involved networking and a panel discussion with practitioners and natural resource professionals.
The workshop continued with presentations on silvopasture design, establishment and management. The afternoon featured a tour of two silvopasture case study sites where participants applied silvopasture principles.
The key take home skills of the workshop include:
- Silvopasture establishment, design and management.
- Key considerations of converting existing wooded pastures to silvopasture.
- Key considerations of converting marginal pasture to silvopasture.
- Silvopastoral examples.
- Case study exercises.
The camp and tour were held at the Long Lake Conservation Center, Palisade, MN
Contact:
Gary Wyatt, University of Minnesota Extension educator
wyatt@umn.edu / 507-389-6748
Tyler Carlson, Silvopasture & Agroforestry Project Lead
1.844.922.5573 Ext. 702 / tyler@sfa-mn.org
Silvopasture Resources
- Fact Sheet: Silvopasture in Minnesota
- Fact Sheet: The How-Tos of Silvopasture
- “Converting Wooded Area to Silvopasture: Initial Site and Resource Assessment”
- “Dirt Rich” podcast series Episode 9: “Silvopasture in Minnesota” and Episode 10: “Implementing Silvopasture” with SFA’s Tyler Carlson and Jared Luhman.
- An interview with Tyler Carlson, SFA Silvopasture & Agroforestry Project Lead, from the Silvopasture Learning Network
The SILVOPASTURE RESOURCE MANUAL is a compendium of web-based resources, professionals, universities, government agencies, non-profit organizations and other sources of silvopasture information, training and networking.
Web Based Version
PDF/Printable Version
The BEGINNING GRAZIER HANDBOOK can be very useful to those getting started in grazing, or experienced graziers looking for additional resources.
Web Based Version
PDF/Print Version
ESLN Wash Co event 7 25 summary
This event was for professional land managers, administrators and elected officials, and, ecological service livestock businesses: Restoring Ecological Integrity, Returning Livestock to the Land
Getting Goats to Work in Washington County
July 25 – 1:00 to 3:00 – Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park
9653 Keats Ave. South – Meet at shelter near the playground, vehicle permit provided
Event Flyer: ESLN Wash County event 7 25 19
Goat Grazing During Winter in Minnesota: Ways to Control Vegetation on a Larger Scale While Saving on Supplemental Feed Costs.
A project of Goat Dispatch, Hiawatha RC&D and Landscape Restoration, Inc.
Click here for: MDA Winter Grazing Grant Final Report
February 27 Tour report: Goats doing well out wintering
Funding provided by the MN Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Program.
www.mda.state.mn.us/business-dev-loans-grants/agri-sustainable-agriculture-demonstration-grant-program
Goats Love Christmas Trees!
Fake trees a no-no!
Oak Savanna Festival – Saturday September 22nd
FINAL Oak Savanna Festival Flyer
10 A.M. – 2 P.M.
Native Seed Collection
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Goat Browsing Demonstration
provided by Goat Dispatch
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Hands-On Family Activities
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11:30 – 12:15: “Oak Savanna – A Legacy Worth Restoring”
Presentation by Steve Thomforde
MINNESOTA VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
3815 American Blvd. E., Bloomington, MN
www.fws.gov/refuge/
FINAL Oak Savanna Festival Flyer
September 13 – Raising Goats for Profit – The Munch Bunch grazes goats on public and private land for profit. Participants learned about the demand for goats for land management services and how to add value to goat operations or begin with goats. Topics included managing goats off the farm, the ins and outs of raising goats, and the infrastructure and resources needed. Hosted by Big River Farms, the MN Food Association. Images by Karl Hakanson.
Allysse Sorensen, Chief Executive Herder, The Munch Bunch. explains the fencing technology for successful goat management.
Allysse shows her trailer and gate system for easy handing of the goats from job to job.
Three “customers”, volunteers from the audience, role play with Allysse highlighting the different scenarios she encounters and how to price accordingly.
A good turnout at Big River Farms on a warm summer evening to learn about the use of livestock for land management.
Handout from the Munch Bunch: Raising Goats for Profit MFA Workshop Handout
Diversity Landworks tending the goats and restoring the Land for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board at Theodore With Park, July 2018
Images by Karl Hakanson
Adding Value to Your Small Ruminant Enterprise: Get Paid to Manage Public and Private Lands with Browsing and Grazing | March 10, 2018 | Cokato – This workshop was aimed at goat and sheep farmers looking to tap into the emerging market for the use of managed browsing and grazing for-hire as a cost-effective, low-impact land management tool for the control of invasive species and the restoration of degraded woodlands, savannah and prairie landscapes. To download an event flyer, click here. Event summary and photos, click here.
Returning Grazers to the Land Symposium | Oct. 13, 2017 | Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Bloomington – Over 60 land managers attended this Ecological Service Livestock Network event and were inspired to consider livestock as fundamental to ecological restoration. To read more about the event and view photos, click here or read this news release.